The invention is directed to a massager, and particularly to a glove massager that is worn by a user and that includes a plurality of massage elements, such that each finger of the glove has a massage element attached thereto, to allow a user to enhance a given massage with vibrations.
The invention is an improvement upon battery-powered massaging devices. Available massaging devices attach to individual fingers or are hand-held, requiring the respective users to contend with holding the device rather than focusing on the intended massage. The following are some examples of existing massaging devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,509 is directed to a finger massage device that is mountable to a user""s finger. U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,509 issued from application Ser. No. 09/060,595, and is hereby incorporated by reference into the present application. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,601,529 and 5,519,292 are both directed to massage apparatuses that are mountable on the hand and wrist of the user. U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,233 is directed to a large fixed massage ball, and is mountable to all of the fingers of one hand. U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,481 is directed to a gum massage implement that is mounted to the posterior side of a finger of the user, and a method of finger massaging gums. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,918,055 and 2,350,817 are both directed to hand massagers. Both of the devices depicted in these patents are secured to the posterior side of several fingers of the user. These devices also impart vibratory forces to the hand of the user, which is in turn used for massaging either the user or another. U.S. Pat. No. 2,286,089 is directed to a hand attachment means for a vibrator. The reference from the French Ministry of Industry and Commerce (Ministere de L""Industrie et du Commerce), number 59.368, describes a massage glove. The device utilizes hot air to heat the glove, and the massaging vibrations imparted by the glove are caused by a piston mechanism pushing pulsations of hot air through the glove.
The above examples have numerous deficiencies and problems. The present invention is directed to solving these and other problems.
The invention is a glove massager for securing to a hand of a user. The glove massager comprises a casing having an anterior side and a posterior side. The casing may be a glove having a plurality of fingers, with each finger having a distal portion and a proximal portion. A power source securing means can be included, as can a power source removably contained within the power source securing means. An electrical circuit electrically connects the power source to a plurality of massage elements. Each massage element is attached to the anterior side of the distal portion of one of the fingers such that each finger has at least one massage element. A fastening means for securing the glove to a user""s hand can be provided.
The power source securing means can be water resistant, and can be located within the casing or on the anterior or posterior side of the casing. The power source means can include a control means for controlling vibration speed. In a preferred embodiment, each massage element creates approximately 9,000 vibrations per minute when the control means is set at full speed.
Each massage element has a housing and a motor therein for vibrating the housing. These housings can be water resistant, and can be removably attached to the anterior side of the distal portion of the fingers of the casing. Each massage element housing has an anterior surface and a posterior surface. The anterior surface may be a convex surface substantially similar in shape to the distal anterior portion of a human fingertip. The posterior surface can be a concave surface adapted to fit a distal anterior portion of the user""s finger.
Other features and advantages will become apparent with reference to the Drawings and Detailed Description below.